System Update script

[acolwill]

I thought I'd try and contribute something back to this community seeing as I've gleaned many an idea from here as well as many other places.

I've been creating an automated install routine for my own use as a Systems Administrator/IT Support Analyst. It's gotten to the point where I am sufficiently happy enough to start pimping it out for "real" testing.

For it to be of any use, it requires the applications/updates/hotfixes/helper programs to be in a certain place on the CD/USB/Network Share i.e. starting at the root and going down.

Since its conception, I've tried to keep it as clear and concise as possible, in the effort that anyone with any knowledge of coding should be able to edit the main CMD file and see what to do.

Every stage of the CMD file is controlled by the first set of variables telling the system where to expect the files, even down to the OS Check.

As the CMD file processes an application/update, it self updates it's sister CMD file, Install.cmd (default location %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Temp\Installs\) so there's nothing much else to do apart from watch.

It has the ability to check the service pack level for Office 2003, as well as the Service Pack Level for Windows XP. I could expand this to incorporate different versions of Office and/or Windows, but that is beyond the scope of what I originally intended this to be geared towards.

I could add single target version checking (via complex registry polling) for every program that would be installed by this script, however, this script just assumes you have uninstalled old versions prior to exec.

It automatically checks \Progs\Installs\Windows\Hotfixes for certain files (IE7, WMP, WinXP) and creates a list of updates to install, no need to edit the CMD file just to add a hotfix!

There is so much expandability and customisation availiable to this script, yet again, it suits me for my needs at this time For anyone who is a capable scripter, please feel free to suggest changes. You may find my scripting style very bland, but my mind works in a very linear way, so the script works in exactly the same way xD

The Zip file attached contains the main CMD script (SystemUpdate) along with it's default helper scripts for removable drives (Eject) and post-install cleanup (Cleanup)

There are a couple of programs contained in the \Progs directory, which strictly aren't required, but make the process that much nicer overall.

Enjoy!

SystemUpdate.zip